To those growing their own tort food

[Chasen]

In order to keep it organic and chem free, I'm wondering what you use to fertilize? Any thoughts on fish emulsion?

 

[Redfool]

Never have used fish emulsion but I make compost tea in five gallon buckets. Water with it once a week and veggies grow great.

 

[Chasen]

Never have used fish emulsion but I make compost tea in five gallon buckets. Water with it once a week and veggies grow great.

How do you make that?

 

[Tom]

My wife uses the fish emulsion stuff and it smells awful. No thank you. Then the dogs get into it and smell like old dead fish. Blechhh.....!!!

Any fertilizer is fine. Whether it is organic or chemically based doesn't matter. Phosphorous is phosphorus and nitrogen is nitrogen. As long as the tortoise doesn't have direct access to the actual fertilizer product, it is all fine. The other thing to watch out for would be any other additives like pesticides or fungicides. I've used all sorts of different types of fertilizers over the years, and its all been fine.

 

[Chasen]

My wife uses the fish emulsion stuff and it smells awful. No thank you. Then the dogs get into it and smell like old dead fish. Blechhh.....!!!

Any fertilizer is fine. Whether it is organic or chemically based doesn't matter. Phosphorous is phosphorus and nitrogen is nitrogen. As long as the tortoise doesn't have direct access to the actual fertilizer product, it is all fine. The other thing to watch out for would be any other additives like pesticides or fungicides. I've used all sorts of different types of fertilizers over the years, and its all been fine.

Thanx Tom. Makes it easier knowing it doesn't make a difference.

 

[Redfool]

How do you make that?

Gotta have a compost heap (coffee grounds, tea bags, banana peals, veggie cuttings, leaves, yard clippings, anything organic but meats). Just a shovel of compost in a screen top five gallon bucket of water. Once a week pour into garden then make another batch and let it set til next week.

 

[jsheffield]

I've just started some watercress on tiny hydroponic system I've got running in my bathroom (a 2.5g tank with a beta in it, water pumped up to a bed of lava rocks in Tupperware just above it for filtration/aeration) ... it was previously growing pothos I've since stolen for Darwin's enclosure.

The seeds have just begun arriving their greenery above the thin layer of soil I drizzled on top for sprouting.

I'm hoping it'll provide a constant supply to supplement his other food.

Jamie